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White Earth-Mahnomen agreement may
grant MN total jurisdiction over reservation
By Gary Blair
A joint law enforcement agreement
between White Earth and Mahnomen
County officials will likely be signed
before the end of this year. If
approved, the arrangement would
give Mahnomen County and the State
ofMinnesota total jurisdiction on the
entire reservation.
Opponents ofthe agreement say this
arrangement could spell more trouble
for tribal members, who have already
had problems with the county's law
enforcement. On Tuesday of this
week, the Mahnomen County Board
of Commissioners was to vote on the
proposal.
Although adverse relations among
Indians and the police is nothing new
at White Earth. Native people already
occupy most of the area's jail cells.
Crime, drugs and violence are out of
control in Naytawaush and White
Earth, two ofthe reservation's largest
Indian communities. The question
now is will an arrangement that gives
Mahnomen County full jurisdiction on
White Earth help to reduce crime?
Over four years ago, Mahnomen
County Deputy Sheriff Kevin Penner
had been charged with raping and
sexually harassing Indian women in
that area of the reservation, and
county officials are said to have done
nothing to stop him. Darrell "Boone"
Wadena, Chip's nephew, says he
reported the incidents to the late
Mahnomen County Sheriff Dennis
Spickard, who told Wadena: "Why
should I believe you over my officers,
you have no credibility?"
Boone said Tuesday that he had just
had a run-in with Spickard's deputies
at the time. Not one of the local
newspapers reported those early
allegations against Penner — not even
this newspaper. At the time, Press/ON
was busy informing White Earth
members that they were being ripped-
off by their former leaders - the Chip
White Earth/to Pg. 3
►Proposition 5 passes in landslide vote
•The compacting of our National refuges and parks
•WE-Mahnomen agreement may grant MN total jurisdiction
over reservation
•MCT land claims settlement a violation of constitutional
and international law
Voice ofthe People
imail: ppesson@paulbunyan.net
The compacting of our National refuges and
parks: National Bison Range revisited
through Grand Portage Tribe
By Lisa Morris
The negotiations have concluded.
The deal has been made. The compact
will go into effect on November 15th.
To the many people involved with
the National Bison Range (NBR)
controversy in Moiese, Montana three
years ago, these words may be
ominous. To those that don't
understand, it will be explained. But
to people of northeastern Minnesota,
it doesn't seem to be a worry.
According to Grand Portage National
Monument superintendent Tim
Cochrane, "I had heard the
negotiations for the National Bison
Range were acrimonious, but the
Grand Portage Tribe handled it
differently. They were candid, frank,
business like, reasonable, and
wonderful to work with."
For people that have had a different
experience, that's good to know.
However, some are still concerned how
the Grand Portage compact coming to
effect in mid-November will set a
precedent for future compacts with
tribal governments not quite as
wonderful to work with, especially in
light of recent Confederated Salish and
Kootenai Tribes (CS&KT) requests to
resume negotiations for the NBR.
A Sept. 1995 draft note stated that
the first compact, (at that time
assumed to be "Transfer of the
National Bison Range ") "will set
precedence for all Park Service policy
regarding future tribal agreements on
Service .lands." Employees indicate
these lands could include any National
Park Service (NPS) Program. National
Fish Hatchery, Ecological Service
Program, Bureau of Land
Management Program, Bureau of
Reclamation, Endangered Species,
Programs, or any geological survey
where a tribe could show connection
to a geographic or cultural program.
The Indian Self-Determination and
Education Assistance Act of 1975
originally applied to only the activities
and programs ofthe Bureau oflndian
Affairs. If a special status (self -
governance) Indian tribe requested,
the Secretary of the Interior was
directed to enter into compacts with
the Tribe to plan, conduct, or
administer Federal facilities or
programs which were meant for
BiSOn/to pg. 3
Native
American
Ojibwe
mews
We Support Equal Opportunity For All People
Hunt wants state to diversify in wake of
California Indian gaming
LAS VEGAS (AP) - Nevada's
lieutenant governor-elect says the state
has an urgent need to diversify its
economy in the wake of California's
newly approved Indian gambling
initiative.
Lorraine Hunt said Nevada's
economy is too dependent on the
casino industry and must diversify for
the state to continue to prosper. Wall
Street analysts have estimated that
California tribal casinos could take as
much as $425 million in annual casino
revenues, or about 5 percent of
Nevada's 1997 total. "That's part of
our problem because we are so
dependent upon that one industry,"
said Hunt, a Republican elected to
Nevada's No. 2 post last week.
That same day. California voters
overwhelmingly supported a ballot
measure to legalize Indian gaming in
the state, setting the stage for possible
legal challenges from Nevada casino
interests that question the measure's
constitutionality.
"Obviously, we have a long way to
go," Hunt said. "We'll be attempting
to fight it as much as we can. It is a real
threat if it continues and becomes a
reality."
The initiative legalizes California's
41 tribal casinos. 30 of which were
operating without the required
permission of the state's governor.
Supporters of the measure argued it
was needed to protect the financial
well-being of the Indian tribes that
operate casinos in the state. "It means
more competition, an imminent threat
on our border," said Hunt, who as
lieutenant governor will head Nevada
commissions on tourism and economic
development. "It's already hurt us in
Laughlin."
Observers believes 17 Indian
casinos in Arizona, as well as those in
Californiahavecut into the number of
Hunt/to pg. 6
Newly-elected tribal chairman accused of
holding illegal meeting
NEW TOWN. N.D. (AP) - Two tribal
council members on the Fort Berthold
Reservation are accusing the newly
elected tribal chairman of improperly
voting during a meeting and of
conducting an illegal meeting.
Tribal Judge Vance Gillette signed
an injunction Friday against three
council members --Tex Hall, who was
elected chairman of the Three
Affiliated Tribes on Tuesday; newly
elected Four Bears council
representative Marcus Wells Jr.; and
Thomas Bird Bear, a New Town
representative.
Hall said in a statement that the
meeting, and the business conducted,
was legal under tribal law. But the
judge prohibited the three from hiring
or firing tribal employees and from
spending tribal funds without the
authority ofa five-member quorum of
the tribal council.
Two council members - Daylon
Spotted Bear and Mark Fox, filed the
complaint, supported by another
councilman, Austin Gillette, over the
way business was conducted at a
council meeting on Friday. Hall
presided over the meeting.
The injunction declared the
appointment of Pete Hale to the tribal
council invalid. Hale was appointed to
the position of Mandaree
representative, the council seat Hall
gave up to become chairman.
According to the court order, the
council voted 3-3 to appoint Hale to
the council, with Hall, Wells and Bird
Bear voting to make the appointment.
Spotted Bear, Fox and Austin Gillette
were opposed.
Newly/to pg. 5
Indian community offers to build spring
training center for Dodgers
PHOENIX (AP) - The Los Angeles
Dodgers long have said they might
move their spring train ing out ofFlorida.
Now the Fort McDowell Mohave-
Apache Indian Community is making
them an offer the tribe hopes they
can't refuse.
The tribe whose community is situated
in northeastern metro Phoenix offered
on Monday to build the Dodgers a $20
million spring training complex near
ArizonaRoute 87, known as the Beel ine
Highway. The 800-member community
plans to use funds from its casino
operation.
The proposed 12,000-seat stadium
and five or six practice fields on about
60 acres would be ready for use in 2000,
if the Dodgers accept by Dec. 1, the
tribe said.
It's a competitive move on the part of
the tribe. Officials hope the sports
complex would help pull casino patrons
away from the neighboring Salt River
Pima-Maricopa Indian Community's
new gambling hall.
The Salt River community is nestled
next to Scottsdale, Tempe and Mesa;
the Fort McDowell community is
immediately, and more distantly, to the
northeast, nearaffluentFountain Hills.
The spring training facility "is
another way to get people out here,"
Dodgers/to pg.6
Basketball blooms in the desert with Kareem
WHITERIVER, Ariz. (AP) -At
Alchesay High School, in the heart of
the Apache Indian Reservation near
Arizona's eastern edge, the new
assistant basketbal I coach towers over
the youngsters he teaches. Kareem
Abdul-Jabbar has come to these sheer
rockcliffs and scrub pine-covered hills
to coach boys who are only vaguely
aware that he once dominated the game,
that he scored more points than anyone
in NBA history. They are boys whose
future seems as bleak as the barren
landscape on the four-hourdrive from
Phoenix, and they are boys who love
basketball.
Abdul-Jabbar, who volunteered for
the job for a five-month salary of $ 1,
said he hopes to use the game to show
his players there is a way to escape the
hopelessness that seems to surround
them.
"If you go to any barrio or inner-city
ghetto or even Appalachia, you find
some ofthe same problems that you
find here -- lack of economic
opportunity, unemployment poverty,"
he said. "They have very negative
impacts on kids. "Hopefully, we will be
able to change some of that and show
them a way to get beyond those
circumstances. If I can do it, coming
from Harlem, the kids here can do it
Basketball/to pg. 5
Volume 11 Issue 05
November 13,1908
A weekly publication. Copyright Native American Press, 1898
Staff Photo
Surprise! Winter arrived with a flurry in northern Minnesota on Tuesday afternoon. When the wind finally
died down and the snow quit falling, the serene beauty ofthe first fallen snow left a panorama that was picture
perfect.
Proposition 5 passes in landslide vote
California tribes jubilant
"They responded by giving Califor-
By Doug Casgraux
Los Angeles, CA — In a packed ballroom in the historic Biltmore Hotel, the
final election results were read early
last Wednesday showing that Proposition 5 passed, carrying 62% of the
statewide vote.
The proposition was placed on the
ballot with the signatures of over one
million voters. Among its provision
was the requirement that the tribes be
granted a Compact, upon request, to
■ continue their existing gaming activities on their reservation lands and
tribal sovereignty rights.
"In our hour of need, we put our trust
in the people of California," said
Daniel Tucker, a Sycauan tribal elder.
nia Indian nations an overwhelming
vote of confidence on Election Day."
The Proposition's passage was predicted Monday evening, with California polling agencies from both parties
reporting that Prop 5 would probably
pass narrowly.
But the success was far greater than
both parties expected. " We won this
election by such a wide margin because the goal oflndian self-reliance
touched a chord with Californians
from all walks of life," said Ken
Ramirez, Vice Chairman of the San
Manuel Band of Serrano Indians." Our
campaign coalition contained more
than 230,000 Californians who recognized that Indian gaming has broken
the cycle of poverty at many reserva
tions and must be defended."
Proposition 5 was endorsed by 88
tribes representing 96% of Indians
throughout California reservations.
Governor-elect Grey Davis (D), an ardent supporter of Prop 5 and Indian
sovereignty sent his best wishes
along with reelected Senator Barbara
Boxer (D)." It time that Native Americans in California and everywhere are
treated with respect and given full
opportunity to be self-governing,"
stated Boxer.
Numerous law enforcement groups,
including PORAC (Police Officers Research Association of California representing 34,000 police officers), the
Riverside and San Bernadino Police
Proposition 5/to Pg.3
Indian casino officials leery of gambling
commission
LAS VEGAS (AP) - Indian casino
officials just want the National Gambling Impact Study Commission to stay
out of their lives. "I don't want to see
this turn into a 'let's get the Indians'
deal," Apesanahkwat, chairman ofthe
Menominee Nation inKeshena, Wis.,
said Monday.
About 100 tribal leaders met with
commission chairwoman Kay James
prior to the panel's two-day meeting
here, which began today at the MGM
Grand hotel-casino.
The commission was set up by Congress to study the economic and social
impactof gambling. Buttribal officials
were adamant that the commission
wants to take away their casinos, and
that would bedetrimental to their members.
Many said revenue from their casinos goes toward health care, drug and
alcohol programs, and the casinos have
helped Indians get off welfare. "We
didn't conceive this out ofa desire to
become Donald Trump,"
Apesanahkwat said. "We conceived
this to feed our people."
r
The tribal leaders told James they
feel as if they have been singled out
because the commission has asked
them to provide information on how
much money theircasinos bring in and
how many people are on the tribal rolls.
"Want to know what we make?" said
Tom Maulson, president ofthe Lac du
Flambeau Chippewa tribe in Wisconsin. "You should have been there 50
years ago when we had nothing."
Richard Milanovich, chairman ofthe
Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians in California, agreed. "Will that be
in the report, that the tribes are taking
care of their own members?"
Apesanahkwat said his people would
go to bed hungry if not for the benefit
of Indian casinos. He chastised the
federal government, saying it
shouldn't be concerned with sovereign nations. "You folks have a short
memory. You're guests in this country," he said. "These people here (Las
Vegas), they take their money to the
bank. They buy yachts with this. We
buy life with this."
This week's meeting is the last one
before the commission returns to
>v
Washington to prepare a report of its
two-year nationwide study on the industry. Earlier Monday, James said
she wasn't a threat to the gambling
industry, but she and the commission
just want to gather information in Las
Vegas about cas inos, not critic ize them.
Shesaid she doesn't want to tell people
how to live their lives. "It's up to the
citizens of that community to decide
for themselves."
Casino officials expressed concern
last week that the commission would
try to bring out the worst in Las Vegas.
James is an emerging leader in the
Christian right, which is promoting an
anti-gambling agenda. Three of the
nine panel members, including MGM
Grand Inc. Chairman Terry Lanni, are
aligned with the industry. James and
some commission members spent the
day meeting with casino officials,
union employees, Las Vegas Mayor
Jan Jones and experts on compulsive
gamblers. "What we're here to do in
Las Vegas is to allow the people of Las
Vegas to tell their story."

Content and images in this collection may be reproduced and used freely without written permission only for educational purposes. Any other use requires the express written consent of Bemidji State University and the Associated Press. All uses require an

White Earth-Mahnomen agreement may
grant MN total jurisdiction over reservation
By Gary Blair
A joint law enforcement agreement
between White Earth and Mahnomen
County officials will likely be signed
before the end of this year. If
approved, the arrangement would
give Mahnomen County and the State
ofMinnesota total jurisdiction on the
entire reservation.
Opponents ofthe agreement say this
arrangement could spell more trouble
for tribal members, who have already
had problems with the county's law
enforcement. On Tuesday of this
week, the Mahnomen County Board
of Commissioners was to vote on the
proposal.
Although adverse relations among
Indians and the police is nothing new
at White Earth. Native people already
occupy most of the area's jail cells.
Crime, drugs and violence are out of
control in Naytawaush and White
Earth, two ofthe reservation's largest
Indian communities. The question
now is will an arrangement that gives
Mahnomen County full jurisdiction on
White Earth help to reduce crime?
Over four years ago, Mahnomen
County Deputy Sheriff Kevin Penner
had been charged with raping and
sexually harassing Indian women in
that area of the reservation, and
county officials are said to have done
nothing to stop him. Darrell "Boone"
Wadena, Chip's nephew, says he
reported the incidents to the late
Mahnomen County Sheriff Dennis
Spickard, who told Wadena: "Why
should I believe you over my officers,
you have no credibility?"
Boone said Tuesday that he had just
had a run-in with Spickard's deputies
at the time. Not one of the local
newspapers reported those early
allegations against Penner — not even
this newspaper. At the time, Press/ON
was busy informing White Earth
members that they were being ripped-
off by their former leaders - the Chip
White Earth/to Pg. 3
►Proposition 5 passes in landslide vote
•The compacting of our National refuges and parks
•WE-Mahnomen agreement may grant MN total jurisdiction
over reservation
•MCT land claims settlement a violation of constitutional
and international law
Voice ofthe People
imail: ppesson@paulbunyan.net
The compacting of our National refuges and
parks: National Bison Range revisited
through Grand Portage Tribe
By Lisa Morris
The negotiations have concluded.
The deal has been made. The compact
will go into effect on November 15th.
To the many people involved with
the National Bison Range (NBR)
controversy in Moiese, Montana three
years ago, these words may be
ominous. To those that don't
understand, it will be explained. But
to people of northeastern Minnesota,
it doesn't seem to be a worry.
According to Grand Portage National
Monument superintendent Tim
Cochrane, "I had heard the
negotiations for the National Bison
Range were acrimonious, but the
Grand Portage Tribe handled it
differently. They were candid, frank,
business like, reasonable, and
wonderful to work with."
For people that have had a different
experience, that's good to know.
However, some are still concerned how
the Grand Portage compact coming to
effect in mid-November will set a
precedent for future compacts with
tribal governments not quite as
wonderful to work with, especially in
light of recent Confederated Salish and
Kootenai Tribes (CS&KT) requests to
resume negotiations for the NBR.
A Sept. 1995 draft note stated that
the first compact, (at that time
assumed to be "Transfer of the
National Bison Range ") "will set
precedence for all Park Service policy
regarding future tribal agreements on
Service .lands." Employees indicate
these lands could include any National
Park Service (NPS) Program. National
Fish Hatchery, Ecological Service
Program, Bureau of Land
Management Program, Bureau of
Reclamation, Endangered Species,
Programs, or any geological survey
where a tribe could show connection
to a geographic or cultural program.
The Indian Self-Determination and
Education Assistance Act of 1975
originally applied to only the activities
and programs ofthe Bureau oflndian
Affairs. If a special status (self -
governance) Indian tribe requested,
the Secretary of the Interior was
directed to enter into compacts with
the Tribe to plan, conduct, or
administer Federal facilities or
programs which were meant for
BiSOn/to pg. 3
Native
American
Ojibwe
mews
We Support Equal Opportunity For All People
Hunt wants state to diversify in wake of
California Indian gaming
LAS VEGAS (AP) - Nevada's
lieutenant governor-elect says the state
has an urgent need to diversify its
economy in the wake of California's
newly approved Indian gambling
initiative.
Lorraine Hunt said Nevada's
economy is too dependent on the
casino industry and must diversify for
the state to continue to prosper. Wall
Street analysts have estimated that
California tribal casinos could take as
much as $425 million in annual casino
revenues, or about 5 percent of
Nevada's 1997 total. "That's part of
our problem because we are so
dependent upon that one industry,"
said Hunt, a Republican elected to
Nevada's No. 2 post last week.
That same day. California voters
overwhelmingly supported a ballot
measure to legalize Indian gaming in
the state, setting the stage for possible
legal challenges from Nevada casino
interests that question the measure's
constitutionality.
"Obviously, we have a long way to
go," Hunt said. "We'll be attempting
to fight it as much as we can. It is a real
threat if it continues and becomes a
reality."
The initiative legalizes California's
41 tribal casinos. 30 of which were
operating without the required
permission of the state's governor.
Supporters of the measure argued it
was needed to protect the financial
well-being of the Indian tribes that
operate casinos in the state. "It means
more competition, an imminent threat
on our border," said Hunt, who as
lieutenant governor will head Nevada
commissions on tourism and economic
development. "It's already hurt us in
Laughlin."
Observers believes 17 Indian
casinos in Arizona, as well as those in
Californiahavecut into the number of
Hunt/to pg. 6
Newly-elected tribal chairman accused of
holding illegal meeting
NEW TOWN. N.D. (AP) - Two tribal
council members on the Fort Berthold
Reservation are accusing the newly
elected tribal chairman of improperly
voting during a meeting and of
conducting an illegal meeting.
Tribal Judge Vance Gillette signed
an injunction Friday against three
council members --Tex Hall, who was
elected chairman of the Three
Affiliated Tribes on Tuesday; newly
elected Four Bears council
representative Marcus Wells Jr.; and
Thomas Bird Bear, a New Town
representative.
Hall said in a statement that the
meeting, and the business conducted,
was legal under tribal law. But the
judge prohibited the three from hiring
or firing tribal employees and from
spending tribal funds without the
authority ofa five-member quorum of
the tribal council.
Two council members - Daylon
Spotted Bear and Mark Fox, filed the
complaint, supported by another
councilman, Austin Gillette, over the
way business was conducted at a
council meeting on Friday. Hall
presided over the meeting.
The injunction declared the
appointment of Pete Hale to the tribal
council invalid. Hale was appointed to
the position of Mandaree
representative, the council seat Hall
gave up to become chairman.
According to the court order, the
council voted 3-3 to appoint Hale to
the council, with Hall, Wells and Bird
Bear voting to make the appointment.
Spotted Bear, Fox and Austin Gillette
were opposed.
Newly/to pg. 5
Indian community offers to build spring
training center for Dodgers
PHOENIX (AP) - The Los Angeles
Dodgers long have said they might
move their spring train ing out ofFlorida.
Now the Fort McDowell Mohave-
Apache Indian Community is making
them an offer the tribe hopes they
can't refuse.
The tribe whose community is situated
in northeastern metro Phoenix offered
on Monday to build the Dodgers a $20
million spring training complex near
ArizonaRoute 87, known as the Beel ine
Highway. The 800-member community
plans to use funds from its casino
operation.
The proposed 12,000-seat stadium
and five or six practice fields on about
60 acres would be ready for use in 2000,
if the Dodgers accept by Dec. 1, the
tribe said.
It's a competitive move on the part of
the tribe. Officials hope the sports
complex would help pull casino patrons
away from the neighboring Salt River
Pima-Maricopa Indian Community's
new gambling hall.
The Salt River community is nestled
next to Scottsdale, Tempe and Mesa;
the Fort McDowell community is
immediately, and more distantly, to the
northeast, nearaffluentFountain Hills.
The spring training facility "is
another way to get people out here,"
Dodgers/to pg.6
Basketball blooms in the desert with Kareem
WHITERIVER, Ariz. (AP) -At
Alchesay High School, in the heart of
the Apache Indian Reservation near
Arizona's eastern edge, the new
assistant basketbal I coach towers over
the youngsters he teaches. Kareem
Abdul-Jabbar has come to these sheer
rockcliffs and scrub pine-covered hills
to coach boys who are only vaguely
aware that he once dominated the game,
that he scored more points than anyone
in NBA history. They are boys whose
future seems as bleak as the barren
landscape on the four-hourdrive from
Phoenix, and they are boys who love
basketball.
Abdul-Jabbar, who volunteered for
the job for a five-month salary of $ 1,
said he hopes to use the game to show
his players there is a way to escape the
hopelessness that seems to surround
them.
"If you go to any barrio or inner-city
ghetto or even Appalachia, you find
some ofthe same problems that you
find here -- lack of economic
opportunity, unemployment poverty,"
he said. "They have very negative
impacts on kids. "Hopefully, we will be
able to change some of that and show
them a way to get beyond those
circumstances. If I can do it, coming
from Harlem, the kids here can do it
Basketball/to pg. 5
Volume 11 Issue 05
November 13,1908
A weekly publication. Copyright Native American Press, 1898
Staff Photo
Surprise! Winter arrived with a flurry in northern Minnesota on Tuesday afternoon. When the wind finally
died down and the snow quit falling, the serene beauty ofthe first fallen snow left a panorama that was picture
perfect.
Proposition 5 passes in landslide vote
California tribes jubilant
"They responded by giving Califor-
By Doug Casgraux
Los Angeles, CA — In a packed ballroom in the historic Biltmore Hotel, the
final election results were read early
last Wednesday showing that Proposition 5 passed, carrying 62% of the
statewide vote.
The proposition was placed on the
ballot with the signatures of over one
million voters. Among its provision
was the requirement that the tribes be
granted a Compact, upon request, to
■ continue their existing gaming activities on their reservation lands and
tribal sovereignty rights.
"In our hour of need, we put our trust
in the people of California," said
Daniel Tucker, a Sycauan tribal elder.
nia Indian nations an overwhelming
vote of confidence on Election Day."
The Proposition's passage was predicted Monday evening, with California polling agencies from both parties
reporting that Prop 5 would probably
pass narrowly.
But the success was far greater than
both parties expected. " We won this
election by such a wide margin because the goal oflndian self-reliance
touched a chord with Californians
from all walks of life," said Ken
Ramirez, Vice Chairman of the San
Manuel Band of Serrano Indians." Our
campaign coalition contained more
than 230,000 Californians who recognized that Indian gaming has broken
the cycle of poverty at many reserva
tions and must be defended."
Proposition 5 was endorsed by 88
tribes representing 96% of Indians
throughout California reservations.
Governor-elect Grey Davis (D), an ardent supporter of Prop 5 and Indian
sovereignty sent his best wishes
along with reelected Senator Barbara
Boxer (D)." It time that Native Americans in California and everywhere are
treated with respect and given full
opportunity to be self-governing,"
stated Boxer.
Numerous law enforcement groups,
including PORAC (Police Officers Research Association of California representing 34,000 police officers), the
Riverside and San Bernadino Police
Proposition 5/to Pg.3
Indian casino officials leery of gambling
commission
LAS VEGAS (AP) - Indian casino
officials just want the National Gambling Impact Study Commission to stay
out of their lives. "I don't want to see
this turn into a 'let's get the Indians'
deal," Apesanahkwat, chairman ofthe
Menominee Nation inKeshena, Wis.,
said Monday.
About 100 tribal leaders met with
commission chairwoman Kay James
prior to the panel's two-day meeting
here, which began today at the MGM
Grand hotel-casino.
The commission was set up by Congress to study the economic and social
impactof gambling. Buttribal officials
were adamant that the commission
wants to take away their casinos, and
that would bedetrimental to their members.
Many said revenue from their casinos goes toward health care, drug and
alcohol programs, and the casinos have
helped Indians get off welfare. "We
didn't conceive this out ofa desire to
become Donald Trump,"
Apesanahkwat said. "We conceived
this to feed our people."
r
The tribal leaders told James they
feel as if they have been singled out
because the commission has asked
them to provide information on how
much money theircasinos bring in and
how many people are on the tribal rolls.
"Want to know what we make?" said
Tom Maulson, president ofthe Lac du
Flambeau Chippewa tribe in Wisconsin. "You should have been there 50
years ago when we had nothing."
Richard Milanovich, chairman ofthe
Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians in California, agreed. "Will that be
in the report, that the tribes are taking
care of their own members?"
Apesanahkwat said his people would
go to bed hungry if not for the benefit
of Indian casinos. He chastised the
federal government, saying it
shouldn't be concerned with sovereign nations. "You folks have a short
memory. You're guests in this country," he said. "These people here (Las
Vegas), they take their money to the
bank. They buy yachts with this. We
buy life with this."
This week's meeting is the last one
before the commission returns to
>v
Washington to prepare a report of its
two-year nationwide study on the industry. Earlier Monday, James said
she wasn't a threat to the gambling
industry, but she and the commission
just want to gather information in Las
Vegas about cas inos, not critic ize them.
Shesaid she doesn't want to tell people
how to live their lives. "It's up to the
citizens of that community to decide
for themselves."
Casino officials expressed concern
last week that the commission would
try to bring out the worst in Las Vegas.
James is an emerging leader in the
Christian right, which is promoting an
anti-gambling agenda. Three of the
nine panel members, including MGM
Grand Inc. Chairman Terry Lanni, are
aligned with the industry. James and
some commission members spent the
day meeting with casino officials,
union employees, Las Vegas Mayor
Jan Jones and experts on compulsive
gamblers. "What we're here to do in
Las Vegas is to allow the people of Las
Vegas to tell their story."